Carrier for bottles and cans



July 29, 1952 M. I. WILLIAMSON CARRIER FOR BOTTLES AND CANS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 5, 1950 INVENTOR. MARSHALL, WILLIAMSON I; ATTORNEY July 29, 1952 M. l. WILLIAMSON 2,505,034

CARRIER FOR BOTTLES AND CANS Filed Aug. 3, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 3 JNVENTOR.

MARSHALL W/LL/AMSON A414 A TTORIVEV July 29, 1952 M. l. WILLIAMSON 2,605,034

CARRIER FOR BOTTLES AND CANS Filed Aug. 5, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVEAITOR. MARSHALL I. WILLIAMSON Lu. ATTORNEY July 29, 1952 M. l. WILLIAMSON CARRIER FOR BOTTLES AND CANS Filed Aug. 3, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. MARSHALL W/LL/AMSO/V I; ATTORNEY 'July 29, 1952 M1. WILLIAMSON 4 CARRIER F OR BOTTLES AND CANS Filed Aug. 3, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.

MARSH/Ill W/ll/AMJON ATTORNEY Patented J uly 29, 1952 UNITED 'STATES PATENT, oF'FI ca CARRIER FOR BOTTLESANDCANS Marshall I. Williamson, New Haven,. Conn as- Signor to National Folding'Box Company, 1110., N ew Haven, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application August 3, 1956, Serial No. 177,401

' 6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements: incarriers made from foldable sheet material, such. as paperboard, for packagingga plurality. of bottles; cans, jars, or similar articles as a: unit which may easily be stacked by the dealer, carried home by the consumer and which, in addition, provides protection from the packaged'articles.

Commonly known carriers may be divided into two. groups, a first group comprising those carriers in. which the handle forms an integral, or non detachable part of the carrier. body, and a second groupcomprising' those carriers in which the handle constitutes a separate element which may beattached to, or detached from, the carrier body.

Carriersequippedwith: anint'egral handle generally have the disadvantage of requiring more stock than carriers within. the second group. Also, the desirable feature of having a handle which extends above:v the tops of the bottles or other articles for-convenient carrying, and which is depressible below. thetops ofthe bottles or articles tdpermit stacking of loadedcarriers, complicates the construction: and increases the cost of. the carrier.

tioned groups; The- -principal-feature of the invention is theprovision of astrap handle offering the same advantages. as the conventional wire handle, but having the additional advantage of costing only a fraction of the cost of a wire handle. Strap-handles incorporating the present invention are conveniently made from. paperboard.- Theboard, may, but need not'necessarily, be reinforced with fabric or other reinforcing material, if the handle is to support an unusually great load or is to be used under unusually unfavorable conditions,.

The ideaof equipping a bottle carrier with a strap handle is basically not novel. Strap. handles made from paperboardhave previously'been proposed for bottle carriers. However, the known strap handles, as far as can be ascertained, Were constructed in such a form and were attached to the carrier body in such a way, as torbecome detached tooieasily 1 I The presentinvention is based on the recognition that the strength of the board used inarstrap handle must be utilizedinv a most advantageous manner, it the handle is to remain securely'at- Carriers with adetachable handle have-become popular in recent years-because of certain advantages. Firstly, lessstock isrequi'red for the carrier body, and, secondly, the assembly ofthecarrier body is generally simpler and less expensive than: the assembly of acarrier bodywith an integral handle. Prominent-among carriers with adetachable'handle are-those-in which the handle is formed from a piece of bentwire. Wire handles are sturdy and have the advantage'of being salvagable for reuse with a new'carrier body, after the initial carrier body wears out, or is discarded by the bottler." Another advantage of the. wire handle is the ease with which the handle can bemade to telescope to move out of the way for the purpose-ofstacking loaded carriers.

However, the cost of wire'handl'esiisso high as to make their useprohibitivefor oner-trip-carriers, and often uneconomica-l for carriers which make onlya few-round trips, between the bottler and the consumer; In addition; the cost of each wire handle mounts, inefieot, every time it must bedetached from a used carrier body andreassembled-with a new carrier-body. Anotheria'ctor influencing the'average cost of' the wire handle is the factthat a certain percentage of handle equipped carriers are not returned, but are lost. The present: invention provides an. improvement: falling within thesecond-of the aforementached to the carrier body, not only under ordinary conditions of:v use, but also under conditions of abuse, to whichbottle carriers are frequently subjected. The strap handle-provided by the present invention is particularly suited for-usewitha carrier bodyequipped withaaplurality of transverse. bottle. separating tops-webs extending. from one-side Wall of the carrierbody to the other side wall, and lends itseliadmirably to a carrier designed to accommodate an even number of articles, for example two quart bottles of a beverage, or two cans. The engagement of the strap handle provided by. the present invention with the top webs is .suchthat the strap handle engages a web. along the bottom edge of the web, the handle-being folded at-the-bottom edge and so constructed that unfolding under-the load of the body is prevented;

, The invention will be specifically explained by reference toa particularly advantageous form of carrier bodyfO-I'mil'lgthe subject matter of a separate copend'lng application for Letters-Patent of MarshallI. Williamson, SerialNumber- 157,195 filed April 21, 1950 now'Patent-'2,558,71-5; The carrier body comprises transverse [web's con structed in such a way as to provide truss structures of extraordinarystrengthcapable of distributing the total load evenly over the entire side walls of the carrier, and'preventing. concentration of the load at'isolatedtransfer points to the handle; in distinction from conventional carriers equipped with wire handles which provide a point-to-point type of engagement between handle and body, rather than an engagement of th edge-to-surface type.

The various features, objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the detailed description which follows accompanied by drawings showing, for the purpose of illustration, preferred embodiments of the invention as applied to an illustrative form of carrier body.

, The invention also consists in certain new and original features of construction hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Although the characteristic features of the inventiton which are believed to be novel will be particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself, its objects and advantages and the manner in which it may be carried out may be better understood by referring ,to the description in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a flat blank from which a carrier body may be made;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a blank of Figure 1 after an initial gluing and folding operation resulting in a flat collapsed tubular structure;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the blank of Figure 2 after expansion into hollow form;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the expanded blank of Figure 3 in the process of formation of its cellular'top web structure; A

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the completed carrier body after formation of its top web structures;

Figure 6 isa plan View of the completed carrier body shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an elevational side view of the carrier body shown in Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a plan view of a flat blank from which a strap handle may be made;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the folded and stitched strap handle of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the strap handle of Figure 8 attached to the carrier body of Figure 5; and

Figures 11 and 12 are perspective views of modified forms of the strap handle.

In the following'description and in the claims various details will be identified by specific names for convenience. The names, however, are intended to be as generic in their application as the art will permit. Corresponding reference characters refer to corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification certain specific disclosure of the invention is made for the purpose of explanation of broader aspects of the invention, but it is understood that the details may be modified in various respects without departure from the broad principles of the invention and that the invention may be applied to other structures than the ones shown.

The blank A as shown in Figure 1 may be cut and scored, in multiple, from large rolls or sheets of foldable sheet material such as paperboard, on automatic cutting and scoring machines. The several constituent parts of the blank are set apart by fold or crease lines. The blank comprises a side wall panel ll, a top wall panel I2, a further side wall panel l3, a bottom wall panel l4 and a glue lap l5 hingedly interconnected along fold lines I6, ll, l8 and (9, respectively. An elongated aperture 20 and notches or substantially triangular apertures 2! are cut in the top panel [2 for attachment of a handle, as will later appear.

The top panel I2 and adjoining portions of the side wall panels I I. and I3 are out and scored to provide a cellular web structure forming individual compartments for bottles or other forms of merchandise. Cuts 22, and 23 extend at right angles to the fold lines 16 and 17. These cuts separate the stock into webs .24, 25, and 26 which after appropriatefolding'form article receiving cells as will later appear.

The webs are foldable at a plurality of fold lines. These fold lines include diagonal or oblique fold lines 21, 28, 29 and 38 extending from short terminal cuts 3|, and 32 to the transverse fold line I I at an angle. Similar diagonal fold lines 33, 34, 35 and 36 extend from similar short terminal cuts 3'! and 38 to the transverse fold line I6 and preferably include between themselves the same angles as the fold lines 2'1, 28, 29 and 36. The webs 24 and 26 constitute terminal webs since they lie at the outer edges of the blank. The web 25 constitutes an intermediate web. The intermediate web comprises a ridge fold line 29 to provide for double ply thickness of the intermediate web, as will later appear.

Folding of the web structure is facilitated by a plurality of crease lines 40, 4|, 42, 43 and 44, 45, 46, 41. These crease lines subdivide the several webs into individual web portions. It is evident that the angles at which these crease lines intersect, as well as their outline, depends on the width of the panel 12 measured between the fold lines l6 and H as well as on the depth or height of the respective webs in the finished carrier body.

Further transverse fold lines 46 and 49 extend across the blank to facilitate folding of the webs as will later become apparent. '5

Triangular panels 50, 5|, "2 and 53, 54, 55 extend with their apexes from either end of the ridges of the webs. Theseridges, as will later appear, are formed by the ridge fold line 39 and by portions of the outer edges 56, and 51 of the blank A. The triangular panels are bounded by the transverse fold lines 11 and, [6, respectively, forming the bases of the triangles, and by further fold lines 58, 59, 60,, 6| and 62, 63, 64, 65, forming the sides of the triangles.

The assembly of the carrier body from the blank A may proceed as follows:

Adhesive a is first applied to the terminal glue ,lap l5 and the blank is folded about the fold line 18 to bring the panel I 4 .face-to-face with the panel l3. Thereafterthe, blank is folded about the fold line [9 and the terminal portion of the panel H is pressed into adhesive engagement with the glue lap IS. The resulting tubular structure A is shown in Figure 2 and is ready for expansion into hollow form. Flat tubular blanks may be stored, and shipped to the user in flat collapsed condition, requiring a minimum of space and may be set up into final form by a relatively simple assembly operation which may be performed at the bottling plant. These operations will now be described. j

The tubular blank A is first squared to assume a substantially rectangular.- shape-as; shown in Figure 3. Article receivingcells fifi and 61' are then formed, and the blank is fixed in expanded position by exertion of force in the directionof arrows F against the several web panels 24,v 25 and 26. This force causes the web panels tomove towards a vertical position with respect tothe bottom panel l4. Simultaneously the ridges. 39, 56 and 51 are raised andthe triangularjpanels 50, 5|, 52 and 53, 54, 55 assume a slanting position as shown 'in Figure 4; Further pressure against the web'panels and supplementary pressure against thetilting edges l6 and l 'Icauses'the web panels to assume their final vertical position which they then-automaticallymaintain due to a peculiar behavior inherent in the illustrated struc ture which may be compared to the action of the commonly known over-center spring which'snaps into one or the other-of two extreme positions after being forced past its center position. A center position is encountered'in" the present assembly between the positions of the edges lfian I! in Figures 4 and 5 respectively, and" the aforementioned supplemental pressure exerted against these edgescauscs the webassemblyto snap into the position'shown inFigure5. The carrier body thus formed is extremely: rigid and resistantto deformation due to the trusslike construction of the webs dividing the cells 56 and E! from each'another; I,

Figures 6 and 7 show the completed carrier body in plan view and in end view, respectively. It is apparent from both figures that the side walls H and le have a tendency to slope inwardly at about the height. of the webs,,and'thisinward slope then continues, in the manner of'a mansard roof, in the triangular panels from, whose apexes the horizontal ridges 29, 56 and 51extend.

The resulting carrier body possesses a .surpris ing amountof strength and rigidity to a'lifting force applied at the lower edges of the bottle separating webs, particularly to the centralweb 25 which is, of .doubleply thickness. This peculiarity makes the carrier body, admirably suited for use with a strap handle which will now. be described.

Referring to Figure, 8, they flat. blank B of a strap handle consists of a central finger or hand grip portion 68 to which end portions 69-and H! are articulated along fold lines ,H and". The central portion of theblank Bincludes a center foldline 13 about which the blank may be folded back upon itself to form a loop or. 'asubstantially- U-shaped structure. Further fold lines 1-4- and lil -may be provided for more convenient. formation of an easily opening loop into which one or several fingers may be inserted. However, the-auxiliaryfold. lines- 14 and 75. are not indispensible and may be omitted.

The blank-B is made f-rom'paperboard, preferably board having substantial tear strength. Craft is suitable stock for the handle and the grain should preferably run lengthwise of the handle. Ordinarily the board may. be used in single ply strength without any reinforcement. However, if the handle is tobe used under particularly unfavorable conditions, if the load is exceptionally great, or if it is desired to'use-stock of lower grade for the handle,the blank Bmay be made of laminated stock, even. stock including a fabric ply.

The shape of the blank Bis optional. It may be madeof equal width throughout, as shown, or may be tapered to provide a wider or narrower portion for the hand grip than for the end portion as desired.

The assembly of the strap handle is simple and may be performed as follows:

The blank B is first folded upon itself at the center folding line 13 and the end portions of the blank are then folded back upon the central portion along the fold lines H and 12. A wire stitch is put through the end portions to securethe end portions of the blank in folded-back position. This may be accomplished by a wire stitch whose bight or center portion extends substantially at right angles=tothe fold lines 14 and 75; as'indicated at 16. The stitch extends through four plies of stock and maintains-thefhandle in assembled positioni v Auxiliary creases11-,18, T8 and 80 may be provided'wi-th the body of the-end por'tions fia and l 0. Greased along these fold lines the-stocks formears 8| spaced 'slightlyfrom the plane of: the central portion for more. convenient engagement with the central web of the carrier body.

The assembly of the carrier handle 3* with the carrier body A" is easily accomplishedand may be performed before or after loading-'ofthe carrier with merchandise. The handle-is simply inserted, bottom'end first} through the aperture 20 in the intermediate web 2 5 until the ears- '8 I or the end edges 82, 83 clearthe bottom edge of'theintermediate webs. The handleis then pulledup causing the folded-back endportion-of'the handle to engage the bottom edge-of the intermediate web in the space between the end portions and the central portion of the handle; the stitch 16 seating in the notches?! of'the-web 25". The assembled carrier body and handle-is shown in Figure 10. The total height of the carrier and handle-may be reduced either by telescopingthe-handle into the carrier body,gor, more conveniently, by deformation of the handle which eitherbends over slightly or opens up at the finger grip portion as indicated in FigurelO. 7 Q

The construction of tli'e-h-andlemay be modified as illustrated in Figures 11 and-'12; In; the form shownin- Figure lltheend portions of the handleblank are stitched'in'placeby a stitch 8'4 extending substantiallyparallel to the fold lines about-which the end portions" of the blank are, folded back upon the centralportion 58'. Auxiliary'fold lines 85 and 8S may. be provided in this form ofhandle; running parallel with the stitch. These creases permit folding of the end edges .82., 83" of he'bl'ank away from the plane of the'central 'portioni68'.

' In the form of handle illustrated in Figure. 12 the end portions of the blank arezsecured-iin place I by a hollow metal rivetal; sometimes also referred toas an eyelet. v

The hollow rivet provides a particularlyl secure meansof fastening and,,in addition, furnishes a convenient. roundedshoulder= seating, in the What is claimed'is:

rounded apex of thenotchtl lwhen the handleis pulledtight. against the carrier body.

The invention thus-providesa strong and'efficient handle for carrierscomparable in strength to the best wirehandles.heretoforeproposed. The improved strap handle-can be; produced at afraction of the cost of a wire handle, and rests in the hand of theuser more comfortablyrthan a wire handle because .of its larger'grip surface. It'has ,the. advantage over theiwirehandie of engaging thecarrier blank along the extended bottom edges of the strongestweb rather than at isolated points of engagement, as would be the case, if a wire handle. were used.

1. A handle, particularly for bottle carriers comprising a, carrier body consisting of a sheet of foldable material and including a bottom wall, side walls, and top webs extending substantially at right angles with respect to the sidewalls and to the bottom wall, one of said webs being of double ply thickness and having an aperture therein; said handle consisting of a separate strip of foldable sheet material, said handle including a central grip portion fiexed substantially in the shape of an inverted U, and an end portion articulated tq'ei her end of'the central'portion, said end portion being folded back upon and secured to the central: portion, said handle being adapted to be threaded through said aperture with its central portion'so thateach thickness of the web of the. carrier rests in the space between the central portion and the folded back end portion when the carrier is liftedup by the handle.

2. A merchandise carrier comprising a carrier body consisting of a sheet of foldable material and includinga bottom. wall, side walls, and merchandise 'separating top webs extending substantially atright angles with respect to the side walls and to the'bottcm wall, one web being of double thickness and having an aperture at its ridge and a notch'in its bottom edge; and a handleconsisting of a separate strip of foldable sheet materiahsaid handle including a central hand grip portion flexed substantially in the shape of an inverted U, and an end portion articulated to either end of the central portion and folded back upon the central portion, and a metal fastening element extending through the four thicknesses of the central portion and of the folded-back end portions to secure the end portions in folded-back position, said handle extending with its central portion through said aperture sothat the web, rests in the space between the central portion and the folded-back end, said fastening element seating in saidnotch when the carrier is lifted up by the handle.

3. A merchandise carrier comprising a carrier body consisting of a sheet. of foldable material and including a bottom' wall, side walls, and merchandise separating top walls extending substantially at right angles with respect to the side walls and to the bottom wall, one of said webs being of two-ply thickness, the plies being folded face-to-face about a ridge fold'line, said one web having an aperture at said ridge fold line; and a handle consisting of aseparate strip of foldable sheet material, said handle including a central hand grip portion flexed substantially in the shape of an; inverted U, and an end portion articulated to either end of the central portion and folded back upon the central portion, and a metal stitch extending through the'four thicknesses of the central portion and of the foldedback end portions to secure the end portions in folded-back position, said stitch extending substantially pa-rallel to the fold lines along which the end portions are articulated to said central portion, said handle extending through said aperture so that the web rests in the space between the central portion and the folded-back end portions when the carrier is lifted up by the handle.

4. A merchandise carrier comprising a carrier body consisting of a sheet of foldable material and including a bottom wall, side walls, and merchandise separating top webs extending substantially at right angles with respect to the side walls and to the bottom wall, one of said webs being of double thickness and having an aperture at its ridge and a notch in its bottom edge; and

a handle consisting of a separate strip of foldable sheet material, said handle including a central hand grip portion flexed substantially in the shape of an inverted'U, and an end portion articulated to either end of thecentral portion and folded-backupon the central portion; and a metal stitch extending through the four thicknesses of the central portion and of the foldedback end portion to secure said end portions in folded-back position, said stitch extending substantially at right angles with respect to the fold lines along which the end portions are articulated to said central portion, said handle extending through said aperture, so that the web rests in the space between the central portion and the folded-back end portion, said stitch seating in said notch when the carrier is lifted up by the handle.

5. A merchandise carrier and handle as set forth in the preceding claim 4 in which the folded-back end portions are provided with score lines forming substantially an inverted U, whereby ears are formed on the end portions which may be bent out of contact with the central portion to facilitate guidance of the bottom edges of said double ply web into said spaces.

6. A merchandise carrier comprising a carrier body consisting of a sheet of foldable material and including a bottom wall, side walls, and merchandise separating top webs extending substantially at right angles with respect to the side walls and to the bottom wall, one of said webs being of double thickness and having an aperture at its ridge and a notch in itsbottom edge; and a handle consisting of a separate strip of foldable sheet material, said handle including a central hand grip portion flexed substantially in the shape of an inverted U, and an end portion articulated to either end of the central portion and folded-back upon the central portion,.and a hollow metal rivet extending through the four thicknesses of the central portion and of foldedback end portions to secure the end portions in folded-back position, said handle extending with its central portion through said aperture so that the web rests in the spacebetween the central portion and the-folded-back end, said rivet seating in said notch when the carrier is lifted up by the handle.

MARSHALL I. WILLIAMSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

